HC Deb 27 July 2000 vol 354 cc1375-6

Lords amendment: No. 22, in page 34, line 34, leave out paragraph (c) and insert— ("(c) shall establish at least one committee, and may establish other committees, in relation to England (whether a committee for England or a committee for an area within England).")

Mr. Alan Johnson

I beg to move, That this House agrees with the Lords in the said amendment.

Mr. Deputy Speaker

With this it will be convenient to discuss Lords amendments Nos. 27 to 29, No. 68 and amendment (a) thereto, and Nos. 109 to 120, 149 and 166.

Mr. Johnson

This group of amendments relates to the Consumer Council for Postal Services established by clause 2. The lead amendment requires that at least one regional committee must be set up in relation to England, whether for the whole of England or an area within it. That reflects concerns that there should be at least one regional committee in England. The amendment leaves the council free to recommend whatever number of committees it feels is appropriate, but there must be at least one. There are several consequential amendments to schedule 2.

Lords amendment No. 28 removes from clause 57 the requirement to notify investigations. Lords amendment No. 68, which inserts a new clause after clause 110, facilitates the transfer of property and staff from the existing consumer bodies and the Post Office Users National Council to the new council.

The rest of the amendments are drafting, technical or consequential. I commend the Lords amendments to the House.

Lords amendment agreed to. Lords amendments Nos. 23 to 32 agreed to.

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